The present invention relates to inspection equipment, and in particular to an inspection equipment integrity enhancement system.
Inspection equipment automates the inspection of physical items and makes decision on whether each item passes or fails an inspection. A checkweigher is one type of inspection equipment that determines whether a package, such as a box of cereal, meets minimum weight requirements. Packages that weigh too little, result in a reject decision being made. A reject decision then triggers a device to move the package off a main conveyor belt and into a reject bin.
The weighing of the package takes place while the package is moving on the conveyor belt. If packages are too close together, or are skewed on the conveyor belt, they may not be weighed or the weight detected may not be accurate. A decision to accept or reject the package may also be the wrong decision. Wrong decisions can make consumers unhappy, leading to expense in replacing product and potential loss of market share.
There is a need to determine if inspection equipment is operating properly. There is a further need to determine if intended actions directed by the inspection equipment are properly executed. There is yet a further need to determine if items being inspected by the inspection equipment are correctly provided to the inspection equipment.
An inspection equipment integrity system uses independent sensors and processing capabilities to determine the integrity of inspection equipment. The sensors detect the presence of packages at predetermined positions in one embodiment. The system further receives input from the inspection equipment regarding decisions made during inspection of the packages. The system uses the position information and inputs from the inspection equipment to determine the integrity of the inspection equipment. Further sensors determine the integrity of inspection equipment used to redirect packages based on decisions made by the inspection equipment.
In one embodiment, the inspection equipment comprises a checkweigher system that weighs packages while moving on a conveyor belt. If a package is out of the correct weight range, it is moved off the conveyor belt into a reject bin by a solenoid controlled air blast. Three photo eyes are used to determine whether the package is skewed on the belt, and whether the package proceeds on the conveyor belt if accepted or is properly sent to the reject bin. A fourth sensor detects air pressure to ensure that a sufficient air blast is available for removal of the package from the main conveyor. Inputs received from the checkweigher include whether a decision was made to accept or reject the package. Using information from the photo eyes and the inputs from the checkweigher, a decision is made regarding the integrity of the checkweigher and action taken.